The Lie
by Kate P
Summary: When Joe provides a friend with an alibi he little realises the disastrous consequences that will follow.


THIS STORY IS WRITTEN FOR PLEASURE NOT PROFIT AND IS NOT MEANT TO INFRINGE ON ANY KNOWN COPYRIGHT  
  
THE LIE  
  
A Bonanza Story  
  
By Kate  
  
   
  
"Hey, Joe." Joe Cartwright looked up from the saddle he was cleaning to see his friend Charlie Miller approaching across the yard.  
  
"Hey there Charlie." He grinned. "What brings you out this way?"  
  
"Can't a fellow just call in to see a friend without any particular reason?" Charlie asked, leaning against the stable wall. "Though actually, Joe, I do have a reason for being here, I just wanted to ask if you could do me a small favour."  
  
****  
  
   
  
Ben Cartwright frowned as he watched Charlie cross to the stable where Joe was working. Joe and Charlie had been friends for a long time, since they were at school together, but Ben had never liked the boy. He felt sorry for Charlie, they all did, the youth didn't have much of a life, his father spent most of his time drinking and had been known to be violent towards his son and wife on many occasions, there was very little money going into the household and what there was mostly went on drink, Charlie and his mother often going hungry. Ben could recall numerous occasions when, as a small boy, Joe had talked Hop Sing into extra food for school lunch so he could share with his friend.  
  
But there was just something about the youth, he was polite enough whenever Ben spoke to him, but he could always detect an undercurrent, a kind of veiled insolence in Charlie's words. Ben had kept his own counsel, however, knowing that the surest way to encourage the friendship was to tell Joe he disapproved. Lately Joe hadn't seen so much of Charlie and Ben had been hopeful that, now they were grown, their friendship would wane, but obviously not.  
  
"Did I hear a visitor, Pa?" Ben turned as his eldest son, Adam came out of the house behind him.  
  
"Charlie Miller, to see Joe." Ben told him shortly.  
  
"Oh." Adam knew his father's dislike of the Miller boy, and tended to agree with him. "I hear that kid's running with a real bad crowd these days." He told his father now. "Hank Phillips and his cronies, getting up to all sorts in Virginia City. Just petty stuff mostly, but there's a sort of maliciousness behind it, of course they make sure the Sheriff never finds any evidence against them, but most folks know who's responsible."  
  
Ben felt a twinge of unease at Adam's words; he looked towards the stable wishing he knew what it was Charlie wanted Joe for.  
  
****  
  
   
  
"You want me to lie for you?" Joe said.  
  
"C'mon Joe." Charlie begged. " If you say that you saw me in Virginia City last night you know they'll believe you."  
  
Joe considered what Charlie had just asked of him. After ascertaining that none of the Cartwrights had been into town that day, Charlie had told Joe his news. The previous night Sheriff Coffee and his deputy had been ambushed by a group of rustlers they were trailing, the Sheriff was all right but Deputy Jackson had been shot and killed.  
  
"Thing is." Charlie said. "Sheriff Coffee recognised a couple of the men, one was Hank Phillips and I'm worried he'll think I was involved."  
  
"And were you?" Asked Joe.  
  
"Of course not!" Charlie denied vehemently. "Oh, I may hang around with Phillips from time to time but I'd never get involved in anything like that Joe, you know me better than that. Ask my Ma if you like, she'll tell you I was home last evening."  
  
"So just tell the Sheriff the truth." Joe told him.  
  
"He'll never believe me." Charlie said bitterly. "You know what it's like for me, Joe, like father like son they say, my Pa's a bad lot so I must be too. Mary Beth Cooper told me you were in town last night visiting with her, all I'm asking is for you to say that you called in to see me for a spell after you left her, about ten wasn't it?" Joe nodded. "Then they'll know I couldn't possibly have been with Phillips, there wouldn't have been time."  
  
It was true that in all the years Joe had been friends with Charlie he had never known him to be involved in anything criminal. Joe was aware that others didn't share his opinion of his friend's character though, even his father and Adam, though they had never actually said anything against Charlie, made it obvious that they didn't like him. "You swear to me you weren't involved?" He asked Charlie now.  
  
"On a stack of bibles if you like." Charlie said eagerly. "Then you will do it Joe?"  
  
Joe nodded reluctantly. "I'll do it." He said. "Though I still think Sheriff Coffee would believe you if you just tell him the truth."  
  
"I will tell him the truth." Charlie said. "And with your backing I know he'll believe me."  
  
****  
  
   
  
It was a warm evening and the family was taking coffee on the veranda after dinner when the Sheriff rode in  
  
"Good evening, Roy." Ben called as the Sheriff dismounted. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"  
  
Roy Coffee tethered his horse and strode across the yard to join the Cartwrights. "It's Joe I've come to see." He said, taking the seat that Ben pulled forward for him.  
  
"What's he done this time?" Adam asked laconically, drawing a scowl from his youngest brother.  
  
"Nothing that I know of." The Sheriff replied. "But Charlie Miller's put him forward as an alibi." He turned to Joe. "Did you see Charlie last night, Joe? He says you did."  
  
"Yes I did." Joe said firmly. "I called in to see him, must have been around ten last night."  
  
"What's this about, Roy?" Ben inquired. "What's Charlie supposed to have done?"  
  
The Sheriff leant forward in his chair and speaking quietly told the Cartwrights about the events of the previous night.  
  
"That's real bad." Hoss exclaimed as Roy finished his story. "Pete Jackson was a friend of mine, he was a good man."  
  
"And what makes you think the Miller kid is involved?" Adam asked.  
  
"Well I don't know for sure that he was." Roy conceded. "But I did see Hank Phillips out there and Charlie's been keeping pretty close company with Phillips and his gang lately."  
  
"Charlie was here this morning." Adam said, looking at his youngest brother.  
  
"He was?" Roy turned inquisitive eyes on Joe. "What was he here for?"  
  
"I, uh, I left my wallet at his place last night." Joe improvised quickly. "He came out to return it."  
  
Adam frowned, he thought he could remember Joe putting something in his wallet this morning, before Charlie arrived, but he couldn't be sure.  
  
"And he never told you what happened?" Roy asked curiously. "It was all over town this morning."  
  
"He mentioned it." Joe said, everyone was looking at him now and he dropped his gaze to the table in front of him.  
  
"And you never said anything?" Ben's tone was surprised. "Though you knew Pete Jackson was a friend of your brothers'?"  
  
"I did mean to." Joe said quickly. "But I was busy and then I just plain forgot."  
  
"Anyway, Joseph, I thought you were at Mary Beth's last night." Ben said.  
  
"Well, yes I was, Pa," Joe answered him. "But not all evening, I called in to see Charlie on my way home."  
  
'Oh what a tangled web we weave' Adam thought to himself, almost certain now that his brother was not telling the truth.  
  
"Are you sure you saw Charlie last night Joe?" The Sheriff asked. "I have to be certain, you understand."  
  
"I said that I saw him!" Joe said angrily. "Don't you believe me?"  
  
"If you say you did then of course I believe you." Roy rose from his chair. "Sorry to have disturbed you, I guess I'd better get back to town and tell Charlie he's off the hook."  
  
As Ben walked across the yard with the Sheriff, Joe looked over at Adam, his brother raised his eyebrows, Sheriff Coffee might believe Joe's story, but it was pretty obvious that Adam didn't.  
  
****  
  
Joe was lying on his bed, arms folded behind his head when he heard the knock on the door he'd been expecting. "Come in, Adam." He called. Joe had felt his big brother's eyes on him ever since the Sheriff left; when he excused himself early to go to bed he'd guessed Adam would soon take the opportunity to talk to him privately.  
  
Closing the door, Adam turned to his brother. "Well?" he inquired.  
  
"Well what?" Joe looked up at him. Although he hadn't been telling the truth Joe felt obscurely disappointed that Adam so obviously didn't believe him, and a little annoyed that he would doubt his word.  
  
"If Charlie was involved in Pete's killing don't you think he should be brought to justice?" Adam asked.  
  
"Of course." Joe replied. "But he wasn't was he?"  
  
Adam sighed. "Oh, come on, Joe." He said. "You're not expecting me to believe that tale you spun the Sheriff are you? It's as clear as day that Charlie Miller came out here this morning to set you up as his alibi, and you fell for it."  
  
"Are you saying I'm lying?" Joe swung his legs to the floor and stood to face his brother, eyes blazing. "I said I saw Charlie last night, so I did, right!"  
  
Adam threw up his hands in exasperation, "All right, have it your own way." He said, turning to leave the room. "But think on one thing Joe, what happens if Sheriff Coffee asks Charlie why he was here this morning? I'd lay odds he's not going to say he came to return your wallet, is he?"  
  
As the door closed behind his brother, Joe sank down onto the bed. Adam was right, Joe had made up the story about the wallet on the spur of the moment and Charlie didn't know about it.  
  
****  
  
Joe spent a restless night, expecting at any moment to hear Sheriff Coffee return to call him out on his lie.  
  
"Not sleep too well, Joe?" Adam asked softly as Joe arrived at the breakfast table the next morning.  
  
"I slept just fine, thank you." Joe replied, sliding into his seat and reaching for the eggs and bacon.  
  
Ben looked across at his youngest; he did look tired, he thought, noting the dark circles beneath his sons' green eyes. "You feeling all right, Joseph?" He asked solicitously.  
  
"I'm all right, Pa" Joe looked across at his father. "I thought I might take a ride into Virginia City this morning Pa, if it's all right with you." Joe wanted to see Charlie and find out what the Sheriff had asked him, he was hopeful that his lie hadn't been discovered as he was pretty sure that Roy Coffee would have been back by now if it had. Ben frowned and Joe felt his hopes sink.  
  
"Not today, Joe." He said. "There's a fence down up in the north pasture, I'd like you and Hoss to take a look."  
  
"Yes, sir." Joe felt happier now that he knew he'd be working with Hoss, with a little persuasion he was sure he could get his brother to let him go into town for a couple of hours, he could usually get Hoss to agree to most things he wanted. Of course, there was always the risk that his father or Adam would ride by to see how they were doing, but it was a risk he was prepared to take.  
  
****  
  
   
  
"Well, Good Morning, Little Joe." Mrs Miller opened the door to Joe's knock. "Come on in, Charlie's in the lounge."  
  
Joe followed Mrs Miller inside. He had managed without too much trouble to persuade Hoss that he really needed to get to town, to see Mary Beth Cooper. Hoss hadn't been best pleased to be left alone but eventually gave in to his little brother's pleading as Joe had hoped he would. Charlie looked up as Joe entered the room, smiling as he saw who it was.  
  
"Thanks, Joe." He said. "I told you the Sheriff would believe you."  
  
"Listen, Charlie." Joe told him urgently. "I've only got a couple of minutes, I left my brother Hoss doing my work and I've got to get back. If the Sheriff asks you why you were at our place yesterday, you were returning my wallet that I'd left here, O.K?"  
  
"Sure Joe, I'll do that." Charlie accompanied his friend back to the door and watched as he mounted Cochise. "Thanks again!" He called as Joe rode away.  
  
Joe had just ridden onto Main Street when he caught sight of Adam, standing outside the store talking to Roy Coffee. Joe wheeled Cochise quickly round and headed out of town another way, he hoped Adam hadn't caught sight of him, if he had Joe would be in real trouble.  
  
****  
  
   
  
Apparently Joe had been in luck, Adam made no mention of seeing him in town when the family sat down for their evening meal. Inwardly Joe heaved a sigh of relief, perhaps he could now forget about Charlie Miller for a while.  
  
They had just finished breakfast the next morning when a hammering on the door heralded the arrival of Will, their ranch foreman. "Bad news, Mr Cartwright." He addressed Ben. "Seems we had a visit in the night, about twenty head of beef are missing from the south pasture."  
  
"Rustlers." Ben exclaimed, he looked at his sons. "Well we know it's not Phillips, Roy has him under arrest in town." He reached for his hat and gun belt. "Adam and I will ride out with you, Will." He told his foreman. "See if we can pick up a trail. Hoss, could you ride into town please and let Roy know what's happened?"  
  
"Want me to come along Pa?" Joe asked as his brothers prepared to leave.  
  
Ben smiled at his youngest. "No thanks, Joe." He said. "I think we've got it covered. There's some tack needs repairing in the stable." He continued. "I'd like you to get to that, please."  
  
Feeling slightly resentful at being left behind Joe watched his family ride out, then with a resigned shrug he headed for the stable.  
  
****  
  
   
  
Joe stretched and yawned; he had been working all morning and was tired and hungry. He was just packing away the tools he had been using before heading in to lunch when he heard a horse gallop into the yard. Leaving the stable Joe saw Adam dismounting from Sport. Adam was struggling with the burden he held in his arms. Joe's eyes widened in horror as he realised that Adam was holding the motionless form of their father.  
  
"Joe, help me!" Adam yelled to his brother, seeing Joe standing by the stable.  
  
Joe sprinted across the yard. "What happened?" He said urgently, reaching Adam. "Is he hurt bad?"  
  
"Will's gone for the doctor." Adam replied shortly. "Help me to get him inside."  
  
Together the brothers carried their father up to his room and onto his bed. Standing back, Joe stared with dismay at the blood on Ben's back. "What happened?" He asked again. "Adam, what happened?"  
  
"We found the rustlers trail," Adam told him, covering his father with the sheet and gently loosening his shirt. "Followed it to where they were keeping the cattle, they'd left a couple of men on guard. We got one of them but the other got away, shooting Pa in the back as he went." Adam turned to look at his younger brother, seeing the anguish in Joe's eyes as he regarded his father. "I'm sorry, Joe" He told the boy. "But the man who shot Pa was Charlie Miller."  
  
"No!" Joe exclaimed. "It couldn't be Charlie, you must be mistaken Adam."  
  
"I saw him as plain as I see you now." Adam said grimly. "It was him all right, and as soon as I know Pa's all right I'm going after him."  
  
Joe felt himself grow cold as the full impact of Adam's words registered. Charlie Miller had shot his father, if Joe hadn't lied for him that couldn't have happened. 'My fault' Joe thought in agony. 'It's my fault Pa's hurt.'  
  
****  
  
   
  
The three brothers waited anxiously as the doctor examined their father. Will had seen Hoss in Virginia City and told him the news, he had ridden back with Doctor Martin. Joe was wracked not just with worry but with guilt, he paced the floor, unconsciously clenching and unclenching his fists, praying that his father would be all right. The three looked up as Doctor Martin slowly descended the stairs.  
  
"How is he?" Adam asked quickly.  
  
"Still unconscious." The doctor told them. "I'm going to be honest, boys." He looked at the three young men watching him, what he had to tell them was very difficult. "It doesn't look good." He said softly, wincing inwardly as he saw the stricken look on all three faces. "I've managed to remove the bullet, but he's lost a lot of blood and he's very weak. You have to remember." He continued. "That your father is not a young man. What happens now is in far greater hands than mine I'm afraid."  
  
"He's not going to die?" Joe asked urgently. "You don't mean he's going to die?"  
  
Doctor Martin looked sadly at Joe, he had known the boy all of his eighteen years, he knew how close he was to his father, how hard this would hit him. "I'm sorry, Joe." He said. "I just don't know. All we can do is hope and pray. I wish I could tell you differently, after all your father is a good friend of mine."  
  
"I'm going to sit with Pa." Hoss started for the stairs, his normally jovial face a mask of distress. "He shouldn't be on his own."  
  
Joe went with his brother, Adam made to follow but Dr Martin laid a restraining hand on his arm. He waited till Hoss and Joe were out of earshot before he spoke. "I'm sorry Adam." He said. "I really can't hold out much hope for your father. I feel that you boys should prepare for the worst. Say your goodbyes, make your peace. I'll be only too pleased if I'm wrong on this one Adam, only time will tell, but it's best to be prepared."  
  
Adam nodded numbly; he was finding it difficult to take in what the doctor was telling him.  
  
"I'll be back as soon as I can." The doctor continued. "Watch out for your brothers Adam, especially Joe, he's still very young to face losing his father."  
  
****  
  
   
  
Slowly entering his father's room Adam looked at his brothers, standing watching their father. Ben was laid on his side, he was still unconscious, and he looked as though he was sleeping except for the unnatural pallor of his face. Looking at Joe and Hoss he saw that their faces were also pale, shock and distress evident in both pairs of eyes. "The doctor suggests." Adam began, stumbling a little over the words that he didn't want to say. "That we should say our goodbyes to Pa while we still can."  
  
"No!" Joe almost shouted the word. "No." He repeated, backing away from his father's bed. "I can't… I can't…" He wheeled about and left the room rapidly, they heard his swift step on the stairs and Hoss made to follow but was prevented by Adam.  
  
"Leave him be" He said softly. "I'll go and speak to him in a little while, give him a few minutes alone."  
  
Hoss nodded and turned back to his father.  
  
Adam found Joe in the stable, he was grooming Cochise though Adam was sure that he was hardly aware of what he was doing, just drawing some small measure of comfort from the repetitive task. Leaning on Cochise's stall Adam watched his brother for a while, Joe didn't look up or acknowledge his presence but Adam knew he was aware of him.  
  
Eventually Joe broke the silence. "I can't do it, Adam." He whispered. "I can't say goodbye to Pa. It hurts too much." And it did hurt, he realised, not just mentally, but physical pain, an ache in his chest, a knot in the pit of his stomach.  
  
"You have to be there for Pa this time, Joe." Adam told him gently. "You heard what the doctor said, we need to face that."  
  
Joe turned back to Cochise, his throat ached and he blinked back tears as he fought to keep control. He spoke softly and Adam caught a glimpse of the child Joe had been as he heard his brother's words. "Don't make me Adam, please don't make me."  
  
Adam watched the young man for a while. "If Pa does die, Joe" He began, and saw his brother flinch at the words. "I think you'll find it may help if you've said your goodbyes to him, but I'm not going to force you." He turned to go but was stopped by Joe's words.  
  
"Adam, It's all my fault." Joe turned to face his brother, eyes wet with tears. "I lied." He said. "You were right, I was lying about Charlie. He swore to me he had nothing to do with Pete Jackson's death and, so help me, I believed him. If I had told the truth Charlie would have been locked up and Pa… Oh God, Adam, if Pa dies, I'll have killed him."  
  
"No" Adam stated firmly. "Charlie's the one to blame, not you. You were wrong to lie, Joe, but if you truly believed Charlie, then I can understand it. You mustn't blame yourself." He put a sympathetic arm around the boy's shoulders. "Come on, Joe." He urged softly. "Let's go back and see Pa."  
  
****  
  
   
  
Adam and Joe had just reached the door of the house when Sheriff Coffee rode into the yard. He dismounted quickly and came over to join them. "I heard about your father." His tone was grave. "I'm so sorry."  
  
"Thank you." Adam said. "Is there something you wanted, Sheriff, I don't mean to be rude but I have to get back to Pa."  
  
"I came out for a reason." The Sheriff told him. "When Will told me that Charlie Miller was responsible for shooting your Pa I went straight round to his home, I hoped to pick him up there. What I found." The Sheriff hesitated, the memory of the scene that had greeted him at the Miller household only too fresh in his mind. "Charlie… I guess it must have been Charlie." He continued. "Had shot his mother, killed her stone dead." He noted Joe's look of horror, he knew Joe and Charlie were friends. "But that's not the worst." He said. "Mr Miller had been killed too, not shot though, oh no, he'd been beaten to death."  
  
Adam was appalled. "That's terrible." He exclaimed. "The boy must have gone off his head."  
  
"I reckon so." Roy replied. "And I need to find him before anything else happens. You're his friend, Joe." He appealed. "Do you have any idea where he might hide out?"  
  
"No." Joe stated shortly. "I don't." Turning away he entered the house, leaving Adam and the Sheriff on the doorstep.  
  
"I'm sorry, Roy, Joe's upset right now." Adam apologised. "We all are. I'll talk to him later for you, see if he can think of any place Charlie might be."  
  
Roy looked at Adam, he understood, Ben had been a friend of his for many years, Roy could hardly contemplate the Ponderosa without him. He could imagine only too well what Ben's sons were going through. "If Joe does think of anything let me know." He told Adam. "And I'll be praying for your father."  
  
Adam didn't wait to see the Sheriff leave, but headed rapidly for his father's room.  
  
****  
  
   
  
"And just where do you think you're goin' little brother?" Hoss asked.  
  
It was early morning, the brothers had kept a vigil over their father all through the long night. Dr Martin had returned a short while ago, he was with Ben now, changing the dressing on his wound, Adam with him. The doctor had told the two younger Cartwrights to leave the room for a while so he could have space to work, reluctantly they had done so. Hop Sing had prepared coffee and breakfast, Joe and Hoss drank the hot liquid gratefully but neither could summon up any appetite for the bacon and eggs Hop Sing placed before them.  
  
When Hoss headed for the kitchen to get a refill for the coffee pot, Joe grabbed his hat and gun belt and headed for the door, Hoss came back into the room just as Joe prepared to leave, he stood now, waiting for an answer to his question.  
  
"I'm going after Charlie." Joe's look was defiant. "I think I know where he might be, a place he told me about when we were kids, he used to hide out there when his Pa was drunk and looking to beat up on him."  
  
"So why didn't you tell the Sheriff that?" Hoss asked. "You should be here with Pa, not harin' off after the Miller boy, let the law take care of him."  
  
Hoss knew only too well the obstinate look that came over his brother's countenance at his words.  
  
"I have to go after him." Joe said. "He shot my Pa, and I'm going to bring him in."  
  
"He shot our Pa." Hoss corrected gently. "We're in this together, little brother. Wait till Pa's better and we'll ride out after Charlie together, the three of us."  
  
"Pa might not get better." Joe said softly. "I've got to do something Hoss, I can't just sit and wait for Pa to…" His voice cracked and he stood for a moment regaining control. "I've got to go." He said again and headed out the door.  
  
Adam and Dr Martin came down the stairs to find Hoss buckling his gun belt. Looking over at them Hoss was relieved to see that Adam was smiling. "How's Pa?" He asked.  
  
"Well he's not out of the woods yet." Dr Martin told him. "But he's better than I expected. I'll say this for Ben, he's a fighter. I'd feel happier if he regained consciousness but I must say I never expected him to make it this far."  
  
Adam took in Hoss' gun belt and the open door. "What's happened, Hoss?" He asked. "Joe?"  
  
"Yep," Hoss affirmed, reaching for his hat. "Hot-headed little cuss has gone off after Charlie Miller."  
  
Adam was dismayed, from what the Sheriff had told them Miller was a very dangerous prospect indeed, and Joe was tired and emotional. "I'd better get after him." He said heading for the door. Hoss laid one large hand on his elder brother's arm  
  
"You stay with Pa." He said. "I'll go after Joe, and don't worry none, Adam, I'll bring him back, after all when Pa does wake up he'll be expectin' to see all three of us."  
  
****  
  
   
  
Joe headed up into the foothills of the mountains, he well remembered Charlie telling him about his secret hideout, a cave in a small canyon. When Charlie's father got violent, which was pretty often in Joe's recollection, he would ride out to his cave for a day or so until he judged it safe to return to town. Joe's mind was in turmoil; he and Charlie had been friends for so long, he found it hard to believe Charlie was responsible for the deaths of three people, two of them his own parents.  
  
And Pa, if Pa died… Joe's thoughts shied away from the fearful possibility, he didn't want to imagine life without his father, he wouldn't imagine it, he'd just concentrate on finding Charlie and bringing him to justice. But try as he might the image of his father, so pale and still, kept intruding on his thoughts, if only he'd told the truth all this might not have happened. He felt so very guilty, if the worst did occur how would he ever live with himself knowing his actions had led directly to the loss of his beloved father.  
  
It was near midday and the sun was strong in a cloudless sky by the time Joe neared the canyon where he thought Charlie would be. Dismounting from Cochise, Joe drew his gun and headed toward Charlie's cave. So immersed was he in his thoughts that even in the silence that ensued when he halted Cochise, he never heard the hoof beats of Hoss' horse Chubb, in the distance behind him.  
  
 Joe could see the mouth of the cave in front of him, halting about twenty yards away he called out loudly, his voice echoing around the canyon. "Charlie! Charlie Miller, you in there?" He didn't have long to wait for an answer, Charlie appeared in the cave entrance within moments, his gun drawn and pointed at Joe.  
  
"Well, well," He drawled. "If it isn't Little Joe Cartwright, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"  
  
"You shot my Pa!" Joe said fiercely. "Did you really think I wouldn't come after you? You nearly killed him."  
  
"Nearly?" Charlie queried. "You mean he's not dead, that's a shame." He laughed harshly. "I did enjoy shooting the high and mighty Mr Ben Cartwright." He sneered, laughing again as he saw the look of horror on Joe's face. "You see, Joe." He continued. "I've found that it gives me a real good feeling to kill someone who's done me wrong."  
  
Joe took a step backwards, repulsed by Charlie's words. "My Pa never did you any wrong." He said. "And your Ma, Charlie, how could you?"  
  
Charlie smiled and Joe felt his blood chill, it was the most evil looking smile he had ever seen. "Oh, so the Sheriff has discovered my handiwork at home." He said. "My Ma did me wrong all right Joe, never once did she stand up to my old man when he was beating me, never once, not even when I was just a little kid. And as to him, he deserved everything he got, the drunken old sot, oh beating up on him was such sweet revenge Joe, such sweet revenge."  
  
"And my Pa?" Joe asked.  
  
"He didn't like me." Charlie's words were all the more chilling for being said in such a reasonable tone of voice. "All these years I've known you, he just didn't like me, thought I wasn't good enough to be friends with his precious little boy."  
  
"What's happened to you Charlie?" Joe was aghast. "We were friends."  
  
Charlie threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Oh that's funny." He said. "That's real funny." He spat vigorously in Joe's direction. "Don't you realise I hated you Cartwright." He said. "You had everything I didn't, rich boy. Fine house, plenty to eat, money, even a Pa that cared whether you lived or died, all the things I never had."  
  
Joe was stunned, all these years he'd never suspected that Charlie was anything other than his friend, he knew his father and Adam hadn't liked him much, but he had never dreamed that Charlie was anything other than what he purported to be, a good friend.  
  
"You want to take me in Joe?" Charlie was asking now. "Or perhaps you'd like to kill me, huh? You'll have to kill me Joe." His voice was cold now, angry. "Because I'm sure not coming back with you. Think you can do it, Joe, think you can shoot your old friend Charlie in cold blood? Look I'll make it easier for you." He turned his back on Joe. "You can shoot me in the back, rich boy." He laughed. "Just the way I shot your Pa."  
  
Momentarily Joe's finger tightened on the trigger of his gun as rage shook him, but he found himself unable to shoot.  
  
"Oh, I forgot." Charlie said coldly. "Your Pa brought you up to be honourable, you wouldn't shoot a fellow in the back would you, but I've no qualms about how I kill."  
  
And so saying Charlie spun round, his gun aimed at Joe, Joe heard the bullet's report, heard it echo around the canyon, reverberating off the rocks. For a moment he thought he must surely have been hit and was surprised to feel no pain, then realisation dawned as he watched Charlie crumple to the ground, a red stain spreading across his chest.  
  
"That was a pretty close call, little brother." Hoss' voice came from behind Joe and he turned dazedly to see his brother walking towards him. "Good thing I followed you out here."  
  
"Hoss." Joe whispered. "Oh, Hoss."  
  
Seeing how shaken the boy was, Hoss put a comforting arm about him. "Weren't nothin' you could have done, Joe." He said. "I heard most of it, I reckon he'd just plain gone insane."  
  
Joe broke away from his brother's embrace. "I've got to get home." He said quickly. "I've got to get back to Pa." And he turned and ran to where he'd left Cochise.  
  
"Joe!" Hoss called after him. "Joe, Pa's a little bett…" He broke off as his brother moved out of sight. 'Oh, well.' He thought. 'He'll find out soon enough when he gets home', sighing he picked up the mortal remains of Charlie Miller in his strong arms and prepared to take the body to the Sheriff.  
  
****  
  
   
  
Joe stepped quietly into his father's room; he had ridden at full pelt back to the ranch, desperate to reach home. He was feeling confused and repelled by what had happened in the canyon, the transformation of Charlie from the happy-go-lucky friend he had known to the insane killer he had just faced. Adam was sitting in the chair beside Ben's bed, he appeared to be sleeping.  
  
"Adam?" Joe said softly, just to be sure that his brother was indeed asleep, he got no response.  
  
Hesitantly Joe approached the still figure of his father, sitting on the side of the bed, looking down through a shimmering haze of tears, he reached for Ben's unresponsive hand. "Please forgive me, Pa." His voice, just a whisper so as not to wake Adam, was thick with tears. "I never should have backed Charlie up, but I believed he was telling the truth Pa, truly I did. It's all my fault you got shot, you see, all my fault and I'm so sorry. Please, Pa." His voice broke as he slid to the floor, kneeling beside the bed and resting his head beside his father. "Please don't go, don't leave me…"  
  
Adam, who had woken from his doze when Joe began speaking, remained resolutely still, feigning sleep, knowing that his youngest brother would not have spoken if he were aware that Adam was listening. He felt his eyes prickle behind his closed lids as he heard Joe's anguished plea.  
  
Joe fought to regain control, still kneeling beside his father he tried hard to stop the tears that blinded him. Gradually he became aware of a gentle hand stroking his hair. 'Adam' He thought. 'So he was awake after all.' Lifting his head, expecting to see his brother, he was startled to find himself looking into his father's deep brown eyes. "Pa!" He exclaimed softly.  
  
"You don't need to ask my forgiveness, Joseph." Ben's voice was weak, but steady. "You are my son and I will always be able to forgive you whatever you do, whatever mistakes you make, I'm your father Joe, I'll always love you, no matter what."  
  
Adam fought to keep his eyes closed, he longed to open them, but he knew that he should not interrupt this private moment between his father and brother. A huge sense of relief enveloped him, Pa had come round and he sounded lucid and aware, he hoped that this meant that his father was going to recover.  
  
"Adam, wake up!" Joe said loudly, allowing Adam to open his eyes at last. Joe looked up at him, green eyes shining with joy.  
  
Adam turned to look at his father, Ben smiled weakly at his eldest and youngest sons, it was good to see them.  
  
****  
  
   
  
Ben was well on the road to recovery, though still confined to bed. Sheriff Coffee had been out to the Ponderosa and delivered a stinging lecture to Joe on 'Perverting the course of justice'. Charlie and his parents had been laid to rest in the Virginia City cemetery. Roy Coffee had found that what he had thought of as Hank Phillips gang was in fact Charlie Miller's gang. It seemed the youth had been pulling the wool over many people's eyes.  
  
Joe was finding it hard to come to terms with the loss of his friend, the madman he had faced in the canyon hardly seemed the same person as the young man Joe had shared good times with over the years, the child he had played with at school. "I don't understand." He confided to Adam one evening, Hoss was upstairs with their father; Joe had been trying to read but couldn't concentrate.  
  
"What don't you understand?" Adam put his newspaper aside with a sigh; he'd been deep in an interesting article.  
  
"How could Charlie do it?" Joe asked. "He was my friend Adam, what changed that? He even tried to kill me."  
  
"That's a difficult question to answer, Joe." Adam replied, he leant back in his chair, steepling his fingers beneath his chin. "I can only give you my opinion, Joe, for what it's worth." He continued. "I think it's probably due, at least in part, to Charlie's upbringing."  
  
"In what way?" Joe asked, his eyes intent on his brother.  
  
"Well." Adam considered. "You know how it was with Charlie, Joe. His father got drunk a lot, beat him up a lot, beat up his mother as well. There was no love in that house Joe, nobody really cared for Charlie."  
  
"He had his Ma." Joe put in.  
  
"Not really." Adam replied slowly. "She was so cowed by her husband's treatment of her that it took all of her energy just to look out for herself. She had no time left for Charlie, nothing left to give him."  
  
"I still don't see how that made him enjoy killing people." Joe's tone was bemused.  
  
"You're lucky." Adam told him. "You've always had a good home, plenty to eat, material possessions, but most importantly, little brother, you've always had us, Pa, Hoss and I. Oh sure, Pa would tan your hide from time to time when you'd done something wrong, but he'd never beat you for no reason like Charlie's Pa did, and you know how much he loves you, Joe. Charlie endured years of ill treatment; he carried around a whole lot of hate for people who had the things he didn't have. I think something just snapped in him Joe, he killed Deputy Jackson when he was out rustling with Hank Phillips and after that my guess is he just found killing easy. Pa got in his way, so he shot him and then he turned his attention to the people he hated the most, his parents. He was insane, Joe, he would have shot you if Hoss hadn't been there. He's hidden it well all these years but Charlie Miller was a very sick boy."  
  
****  
  
   
  
Two weeks later, Ben had been allowed downstairs for the first time since the shooting and was now sitting in his chair by the fireplace reading. Adam and Hoss were playing checkers, Adam looked to be winning.  
  
Joe watched his family, he thought about the talk he'd had with Adam and mentally compared his home to that of Charlie. He was lucky, he realised, he had people who would always care for him, he had never had cause to doubt that. Even when his father or brothers were most annoyed with him, whatever he'd done, he knew they always cared. Standing he crossed to his father and placing a hand on Ben's shoulder said softly. "Thank you, Pa."  
  
Ben looked up in surprise, then raising his own hand to cover Joe's he squeezed his son's fingers gently. "Thanks for what, Joe?" He asked.  
  
"Oh, just for being you." Joe murmured. "For always being here for me." He looked across at his brothers. "I'm glad I have you." He said. "All of you."  
  
Ben smiled up at his youngest son. "And I'm very glad I have you." He said.  
  
THE END  
  
© Kathleen Pitts 1999 


End file.
